Saturday, March 10, 2007

Have Courage

I am a shameless thief. I pillage and steal and thieve without a single shame. In the days when I used to sew and sell garments, I stole ideas from frocked toddlers whose aunties had brilliantly outfitted them. Now I fancy myself a housebound philosopher and I steal thoughts from brilliant writers and expound on them here.

This morning I came upon a post that I got so excited about that I had to walk away from it because I was trying to read it so fast that I was skipping too many parts. Kind of like stuffing your face with almond rocha at Christmas and then realizing you should have slowed down and enjoyed the process. Or like finding a vintage quilt at the thrift shop for $5.00 and just woodenly walking away because you can't bear the stimulation.

Allow me to introduce Queen Heroical:

"...It also dawned on me that this might be why the Bible needs to tells me (us) to think on whatever is good, whatever is noble, whatever is right etc etc etc ... not because doing so is easy,

............. but rather because doing so means accepting, openly accepting that there is love greater, there is love which exists in the pain of it all. Think on it – have courage oh you of little faith ... have courage, do not be afraid, think on these things. Lifting eyes up can be harder than seeing what is at our feet. Daring to trust in the ever familiar face of betrayal – daring to love when it seems impossible – daring to believe that despite it all – we are all, each one of us, loved by God. Hard. "

I've been thinking about how when we are confronted by things that frighten us, we search our minds for a way to "set things right". We search from the storehouse of all the wonderful learning we've submitted ourselves to. Surely we've read a book about "What-to-do-or-say" when confronted by this situation. Surely we heard a sermon that taught us the appropriate antidote. Surely if we choose our steps righteously, we are responsible to appropriate the correct behaviors to bring back the familiar equilibrium of yesterday.

I challenge you to instead examine your own heart.
How righteous are you feeling? How relieved that your ducks are in a row? Do you dare to lift your eyes? Do you have the courage to love authentically? Do you have the guts to tell your own truth? Ask your own questions?

From which perspective will you love others? From the honesty that we are all stumbling, all gasping, yet all impossibly, mysteriously loved by God?

The more I learn, the less I know for sure. And there's a great relief in there somewhere, because it opens my mind to the endless possibilities of God's endless, redeeming love. And that's where I choose to look and rest.

7 comments:

Roo said...

PRAISE GOD!

Judy said...

Love that last line.

LOVE it!

Anonymous said...

You hit the nail on the head with "the more I learn the less I know for sure"....and what a joy it is...when I was 30 I honestly had all the answers...then I feel into a deep dark hole, which took me a year to climb out of....don't know why(though everyone else seemed to know why)...but you come out of that with NO answers...all the teachings I had learnt, went out the door along with the tapes, books etc....ended up, me and God and the Bible...didn't go to church for 4 years, but I did "find myself"...and you know what I found??? I don't have all the answers...fact is, I have very few...but I'm good with that....I'm in my 50's now and have learned to enjoy soooo much....a cup of coffee, an e-mail, my grandkids, a great book etc....life is good....when people get into arguing about God this and God that...honestly I don't care...been there done that....I hang with Jesus, the man of peace....

it's a gong show... said...

Mom, I know that was you (anonymous). I was encouraged by your comment. Hanging with Jesus is where it's at. Forget all the legalistic crab and just life with the mindset of "what would Jesus do?"

it's a gong show... said...

I meant legalistic crap not crab.

joyce said...

But how do you eat legalistic crab? With or without butter? Elbows on or off the table?

I just got a big, robust, happy laugh at that "mom, I know that was you.." comment.Too sweet. And I'm glad you helped me out there, Brandy. I hadn't fully figured on your ma, but now I'll have to like her even more!

Anonymous said...

And I thought I was being so sneaky by remaining anonymous : ) L